BURMA/ DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING

DATE=5/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232840
TITLE=BURMA/ DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING (L-CQ)
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: CHANGING 4TH GRAF TEXT, "LITTLE" SECURITY VISIBLE ///
INTRO: SEVERAL HUNDRED MEMBERS OF BURMA'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY
MET TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AT THE RANGOON HOME OF PARTY LEADER AUNG
SAN SUU KYI. AS DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA
BUREAU, THE MEETING MARKS A THAW IN RELATIONS BETWEEN
PRO-DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNERS AND BURMA'S RULING MILITARY COUNCIL.
TEXT: MORE THAN 400 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY
PARTY -- THE N-L-D -- GATHERED AT AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S LAKESIDE
HOME (ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE) FOR A RARE PARTY CONGRESS.
THE MEETING CAME ON THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF AN ELECTION IN
WHICH THE N-L-D WON MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE SEATS. THE
RULING MILITARY COUNCIL WAS STUNNED BY THE DEFEAT OF PRO-MILITARY
PARTIES IN THAT ELECTION, AND NEVER ALLOWED THE PARLIAMENT TO
MEET.
ATTEMPTS IN RECENT YEARS TO HOLD PARTY CONGRESSES ON THE ELECTION
ANNIVERSARY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE GENERALS WHO RUN BURMA.
BUT ON WEDNESDAY, PARTY DELEGATES IN SMALL GROUPS WERE ALLOWED
INTO AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S RANGOON VILLA. THERE WAS LITTLE EXTRA
SECURITY AROUND THE HOUSE, AND THE ARMED GUARDS WHO ARE ALWAYS
THERE APPEARED RELAXED.
THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL WARNED THE PARTY SUNDAY NOT TO
ATTEMPT TO HOLD AN ANNIVERSARY MEETING. BUT IT REVERSED ITSELF
TUESDAY, SAYING THE MEETING COULD GO AHEAD UNDER CERTAIN
CONDITIONS, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC.
DESPITE THIS CONCESSION, PARTY LEADERS SAY ABOUT 320 OF THEIR
SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE RANGOON WERE PREVENTED FROM COMING TO THE
MEETING, OR IN SOME CASES DETAINED. THE PARTY LEADERS ARE
CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL DETAINEES.
IN HER REMARKS AT THE MEETING, AUNG SAN SUU KYI SENT A MESSAGE TO
THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL . SHE SAID POLITICAL DIALOGUE
BETWEEN THE GENERALS AND THE PRO-DEMOCRACY FORCES IS INEVITABLE.
"TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AGAINST THE DIALOGUE," AUNG SAN SUU KYI
SAID, " I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN NEVER AVOID IT."
THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL IS OVERSEEING AN EXTREMELY
SLOW-MOVING PROCEDURE TO DRAFT A NEW CONSTITUTION, LEADING TO
ANOTHER ELECTION.
IN HER SPEECH, AUNG SAN SUU KYI REJECTED THAT PROCESS, SAYING THE
PARLIAMENT ELECTED IN 1990 SHOULD BE CONVENED.
SHE ALSO REPEATED EARLIER PLEDGES BY SENIOR N-L-D LEADERS THAT
HER PARTY WILL NOT SEEK REVENGE FROM ANYONE NOW IN POWER.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI, THE WINNER OF THE 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, IS
THE DAUGHTER OF BURMESE INDEPENDENCE HERO AUNG SAN. SHE WAS HELD
UNDER HOUSE ARREST FROM 1989 TO 1994 AND HER MOVEMENTS OVER THE
LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN CLOSELY CONTROLLED. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/GC/FC/WTW
27-May-98 5:58 AM EDT (0958 UTC)
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Source: Voice of Americ